Wigan certainly know how to make life hard for themselves with this goalless draw failing to send them over the safety line with two very tough games ahead of Steve Bruce and his side over the next two weekends.

Latics should be fine however with other clubs below them facing tougher challenges to avoid the dreaded drop out of the Premier League themselves.

Wigan went into the game knowing that victory against Steve Coppell's Reading would guarantee a fourth season of top flight football and with the strike pair of Emile Heskey and Marcus Bent both recovering from knocks picked up in the 1-1 draw against Spurs last weekend the signs were looking good.

Steve Bruce made just one change from the side that earned a share of the spoils against Juan Ramos' side with Jason Koumas favoured in the starting eleven to Ryan Taylor who took his place on the bench.

Reading on the other hand made a number of changes to the side that lost 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium last time out with Leroy Lita returning to the starting line up after his surprise recall from a loan spell with Charlton Athletic.

Joining him from the off were former Chelsea and Leeds defender Michael Duberry and Ireland forward Kevin Doyle who were both substitutes against Arsenal.

Nicky Shorey and Stephen Hunt also returned to the side with skipper Graham Murty and Senegalese defender Ibrahima Sonko missing out altogether.

The game itself wasn't exactly enthralling and wasn't a great advertisement for Premier League football.

In fact it was a very scrappy affair with Leeds based referee Martin Atkinson and his two assistants kept busy by two sides desperate to avoid defeat - six yellow cards were dished out in total in a game that was far from being a bad tempered affair.

The first half didn't exactly do much to get you out of your seat, aside from Marcus Bent headed effort that he sent downwards before cracking the woodwork.

Jason Koumas showed that he needs to take in a bit of target practice when he skyed his early attempt on goal with the ball last seen somewhere in Beech Hill and Kevin Doyle faired no better with a couple of his own efforts as the opening 45 minutes fizzled out.

The action after the break proved to be slightly more of a spectacle but still didn't have a goal written on it with Paul Scharner and Emmerson Boyce solid in Wigan's defence and Andre Bikey impressive in the visitors back line.

Wigan were given a scare just before the hour mark, however, when Lita stabbed the ball across the front of goal but fortunately for them nobody turned up to put that decisive touch on it and Latics breathed a huge sigh of relief as the ball trickled away to safety.

Wigan had lost captain Mario Melchiot through injury midway through the first half and were dealt further blows when Steve Bruce was forced to replace both his strikers half way through the second.

Antoine Sibierski and Marlon King were given the task of taking up the baton and for once £5m signing King showed a few neat touches as Wigan pushed for victory - the former Watford striker forcing Reading keeper Hahnemann into a decent save in time added on.

Results elsewhere could have conspired against both sides with Bolton and Birmingham both having to settle for a point after being pegged back by Newcastle and Liverpool respectively.

However with Fulham snatching a dramatic injury time winner after being 2-0 down with 20 minutes remaining things are looking pretty precarious around the foot of the table with only two games remaining.

Report by John Heeley www.cockneylatic.co.uk